Sunshine Wattle p6250216 image
Acacias & Myrtles
of the
Blue Mountains National Park
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Acacias (wattles) - family Mimosaceae

There are an estimated 900 species of Acacia in Australia. And this includes the Australian Floral Emblem, the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) - which is not endemic to the Sydney region.

An index to the Acacia images included below.
Bloodwood
Hedgehog Wattle
Lunate-leaved Acacia
Ploughshare Wattle
Prickly Moses
Sunshine Wattle
Swamp Wattle
Sweet-scented Wattle
Sydney Golden Wattle

Myrtles - family Myrtaceae

The most common member of the Myrtaceae family is, of course, the eucalypt or gum tree. They have the distinction of giving the Blue Mountains its colour and therefore its name. The blue hue of distant hills is caused by fine droplets of eucalyptus oil in the air.

An index to the Myrtle images included below.
Eucalypts
Blue Mountain Ash
Scribbly Gum
Silver-top Ash
Tea-trees (Leptospermum)
Paperback Tea-tree
Pink Tea-tree
Prickly Tea-tree
Small Leaf Tea-tree
Spider Tea-tree
Tantoon
Woolly Tea-tree
some of the many others
Darwinia taxifolia
Common Fringe Myrtle
Pink Buttons
Weeping Baeckea

Other attractions of the Blue Mountains National Park

Mt. Solitary image 137KB

Mt. Solitary provides the southern wall of the Jamison Valley, and as such is second only to the Three Sisters to catch one's attention at the Queen Elizabeth Lookout at Echo Point, Katoomba.

Mt. Solitary is 960 metres high and over 2km long. To the south of Mt. Solitary is the Cedar and Kedumba Valleys that the Cox's River flows through before entering Warragamba Dam's Lake Burragorang. Cox's River starts its journey north-west of Lithgow.


Acacias (wattles) - family Mimosaceae

Select the thumbnail image to see the full image.

Sunshine Wattle image p6250216 124KB
Sunshine Wattle
Acacia terminalis
Although flowering for all except the summer months, it's in winter when it's at its best - bringing brilliant splashes of yellow to the bush. The flowers are 1cm wide.
Here's another image.
Sweet-scented Wattle image p6070132 100KB
Sweet-scented Wattle
Acacia suaveolens
Flowering in late winter, it does indeed have a gentle sweet smell.
Swamp Wattle image p6050498 73KB
Swamp Wattle
Acacia ptychoclada
The terete (long and cylindrical) leaves identifies this acacia. It flowers in summer and autumn, and is found in swamps and next to watercourses in the Mid to Upper Blue Mountains.
Lunate-leaved Acacia image p9210337
Lunate-leaved Acacia
Acacia lunata
Brilliant yellow flowers in spring, this wattle is identified by the 3-5 flowers in each globe, and the vein in its dull green leaves being off-centre.
Sydney Golden Wattle image p9010436
Sydney Golden Wattle
Acacia longifolia
This spring flowering wattle is identified by two dominant veins in its long leaves (up to 20cm), and two or three less conspicuous ones.
Bloodwood image p9100122
Bloodwood
Acacia melanoxylon
A medium size tree - growing to 30 metres, it is identified by the 3-5 or more longitudinal veins on its leaves.
Hedgehog Wattle image p9210423
Hedgehog Wattle
Acacia echinula
By far the most prickly of similar species, this, and its brighter flowers and more pungent pointed leaves identify it.
It flowers from winter into spring.
Prickly Moses image p7240222
Prickly Moses
Acacia ulicifolia
Earlier flowering (from April) and paler flowers helps identify Prickly Moses.
On closer inspection it has a marked gland angle and longer stipules.
Ploughshare Wattle image p9200285
Ploughshare Wattle
Acacia gunnii
The smaller triangular leaves (around 5mm) help identify this little wattle.
It flowers from winter into spring.

Myrtles - family Myrtaceae

Select the thumbnail image to see the full image.

Scribbly Gum image p1260369 124KB
Scribbly Gum
Eucalyptus sclerophylla
This species of the unmistakable Scribbly Gum is common in the Blue Mountains. It is also known as the Hard-leaved Scribbly Gum.
Scribbly Gum image p2120215 73KB
Scribbly Gum
Eucalyptus sclerophylla
As the bark ages through the year, it goes from cream to grey, before eventually peeling off in strips in summer.
Scribbly Gum image p2120220 89KB
Scribbly Gum
Eucalyptus sclerophylla
The combination of bark colour, sap and scribbles produces some amazing images.
Silver-top Ash image pa100122 124KB
Silver-top Ash
Eucalyptus sieberi
Identified by its red branchlets and the veins of its leaves, this spring flowering eucalypt also has a purple ring around the edge of each flower.
Silver-top Ash image p6250297 89KB
Silver-top Ash
(gumnuts)
Eucalyptus sieberi
The Silver-top Ash is used in the
woodchip export industry in Eden.
It is also known as Black Ash.
Blue Mountains Ash image p8190415 73KB
Blue Mountains Ash
Eucalyptus oreades
Magnificent! Its tall white trunk identifies it - together with the strips of bark around its base.
A photo can't capture its grandeur.
Here's an image showing its base.
Woolly Tea-tree image pb160388 77KB
Woolly Tea-tree
Leptospermum lanigerum
Very similar description to L. grandifolium. However, I believe the specimen shown here is L. lanigerum due to its very silky sepals and shorter leaves - many less than 10mm.
Pink Tea-tree image p5200260 91KB
Pink Tea-tree
Leptospermum squarrosum
Similar in description to several species, but its larger flowers (up to 20mm) differentiates it.
It also flowers in Autumn, which helps identify it. But to confuse matters, it also flowers in Spring.
Tantoon image pc070032 116KB
Tantoon
Leptospermum polygalifolium
Also known as the Lemon-scented Tea-tree due to the lemony fragrance of its crushed leaves.
Oil dots can be readily seen on its leaves.
It produces a mass of flowers in early summer.
Woolly Tea-tree image pc040179
Paperbark Tea-tree
Leptospermum trinervium
Characterised by its paperbark bark, it's a small tree that flowers in late spring/early summer.
The flowers are 10-15mm across.
Here's another image that shows its pubescent (soft covering of soft weak hairs) new growth - both branches and leaves.
Prickly Tea-tree image pc040076
Prickly Tea-tree
Leptospermum juniperinum
This shrub is identified by its prickly leaves - its new growth is not prickly and has long appressed hairs.
The leaves and flowers are held very tightly to the branches - as this image shows.
The 10mm flowers appear in late spring.
Spider Tea-tree image pc040038
Spider Tea-tree
Leptospermum arachnoides
Being prickly it can be confused with L. juniperinum, however there are several marked distinctions -
  it has rough bark;
  leaves are occasionally twisted;
  each flower is at the end of a branchlet, and has a rosette of leaves.
Small Leaf Tea-tree image pb170454 73KB
Small Leaf Tea-tree
Leptospermum parvifolium
A small variety of tea-tree (up to 2m high) whose leaves are less than 1cm long and whose petals are barely 5mm.
Common Fringe Myrtle image pb160281 94KB
Common Fringe Myrtle
Calytrix tetragona
This plant is found across the southern states of Australia and into Queensland. The thread coming from the tip of each of the five sepals is known as an awn. The petals are about 5mm in length.
Pink Buttons image pa310366 83KB
Pink Buttons
Kunzea capitata
Kunzeas are distinguished from Tea Trees by the long style coming from the centre of the flower. K. capitata is differentiated from K. parvifolia by its longer leaves - 4-9mm versus 1-4mm.
Pink Buttons is also known as Heath Kunzea.
Darwinia taxifolia image p6250275 124KB
Darwinia taxifolia
Darwinia taxifolia
The two patches of Darwinia taxifolia I have found in the upper Blue Mountains, are on the most exposed terrain possible.
This hardy plant flowers in winter and spring.
Weeping Baeckea image pc300554
Weeping Baeckea
Baeckea linifolia
The 5mm wide flowers appear in summer.
The shrub is up to 2 metres high and its weeping form distinguishes it.
Here's another image.